Program Scope

The Bachelor of Science and the Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies are
interdisciplinary degrees for students interested in studying and working within the
environmental field. The objective of the program is to produce exceptional graduates
who are grounded in the study of contemporary environmental problems and solutions
that transcend the existing academic disciplines and programs at San Francisco State
University. The program provides students with the knowledge and skills required for
understanding relationships between humans and the physical world. It examines how the
environment is being used, abused, and perceived, and what individuals and organizations
are doing and can do to protect it for themselves, future generations, and other living
beings and ecosystems. Students participate in an internship and take a senior
seminar. Both requirements emphasize community engagement and preparation for
future environmental careers.

The major offers two degrees: a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts in
Environmental Studies. The major consists of a group of courses that will be required
for all students declaring this major (36-46 units) and five areas of concentration
from which the student will choose one. Two of these concentrations will lead to the
Bachelor of Science (82-95 units in the major) and three will lead to the Bachelor of
Arts (57-66 units in the major).

Career Outlook

The environmental studies field is diverse and includes opportunities for employment
at many different venues. Private industry opportunities include solid waste management,
resource recovery and recycling, hazardous waste management, water treatment and delivery,
and air pollution control. Major local corporations have employment opportunities in
environmental health and safety and environmental management. Environmental consultants
who specialize in creating or reviewing environmental impact reports and statements and
environmental regulations are needed at the federal and state agency level as well as in
the private sector. Other employment opportunities include government agency level
resource scientists, natural resource managers, and planners. In addition, local nonprofit activist groups provide a
small number of full-time positions in the environmental field.

Environmental Studies Core CurriculumBachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science

Environmental Studies majors who successfully complete ENVS 450 GW in fall 2009 or thereafter will have satisfied the University Graduation Writing Assessment Requirment (GWAR). Students who wish to change their major to Environmental Studies must first complete ENVS 300 with a grade of C or better.

Please note: Effective fall 2009, Environmental Studies students must complete ENVS 300, and ENVS 450 GW, with a grade of C or better to continue in the major.

The core curriculum for both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science is the same.

* This choice is appropriate for those pursuing the Natural Resources, Management and Conservation B.S. degree. BIOL 230 and BIOL 240 are sequential courses and both must be completed to fulfill the requirements for this major.

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

This concentration provides students with a theoretical and applied understanding of the issues of sustainability and the connections between social justice and environmental problems and solutions. Students study the roles that values and social, political, and economic structures play in contributing to the environmental crisis. With the help of an adviser, students obtain depth by selecting elective courses from Political Science, American Indian Studies, Sociology, Philosophy and Religion, Economics, Urban Studies and Planning, Geography, Women’s Studies, and related fields.

Note: 15 units from the core curriculum must be completed prior to
beginning courses in this concentration.

This concentration provides students with a strong interdisciplinary theoretical and empirical understanding for dealing with environmental issues in urban settings. With the help of an adviser, students obtain depth by selecting elective courses focusing on sustainable urban development, environmental justice, land-use planning, environmental policy, and the urban environment in a global perspective.

Note: 15 units from the core curriculum must be completed prior to
beginning this concentration.

This concentration explores the varied and complex ways that different cultures—past and present—view and communicate about the environment. With an adviser, students choose coursework in disciplines dealing with verbal or visual communication, such as Communication Studies, Technical and Creative Writing, Ethnic Studies, Journalism, photography, Design, Electronic Media, and Cinema.

Note: 15 units from the core curriculum must be completed prior to
beginning this concentration.

This concentration is for students interested in studying the environment through the physical sciences of geology, meteorology, oceanography, hydrology, and chemistry. The concentration provides students with a rigorous background in both quantitative and qualitative problem-solving techniques and aims to produce graduates who can understand our planet as an integrated system. Required courses provide basic knowledge in chemistry, physics, mathematics, statistics, and environmental regulation. Students choose an emphasis in chemical analysis, climate systems, coastal systems, hydrologic systems, or surficial processes (e.g., soils and watersheds), in consultation with an adviser.

Note: 15 units from the core curriculum must be completed prior to beginning this concentration.

Elective Courses
Choose courses from one emphasis from the elective list for the concentration in Earth System Science and meet with a faculty adviser to plan the course sequence. Other courses, including special study classes (e.g., BIOL, CHEM, or GEOL 699) may be substituted upon advisement.

This concentration provides students with the theoretical and applied knowledge and skills in ecology, conservation biology, and natural resources they need to address natural resource management and conservation issues. Required courses provide knowledge in ecology, conservation biology, statistics, and natural resource management and provide students with a solid background in both quantitative and qualitative problem-solving techniques. Students choose additional coursework in ecology, biodiversity studies, applied methods, and management of specific resources.

Note: 15 units from the core curriculum must be completed prior to
beginning courses in this concentration.

Elective Courses
Students must consult with a faculty adviser prior to selection of elective courses in
order to determine which courses are most appropriate for the student’s particular
program. Choose courses from the elective list for the concentration in Natural Resource Management and Conservation. At least one
course from each of the themes must be included. Within each theme other
courses may be selected on advisement.

20-24

Natural Resource Management and Conservation
Choose at least one course from each of the themes. Within each
theme other courses may be selected on advisement.

Ecology

BIOL 482

Ecology (4)

BIOL 529

Plant Ecology (4)

BIOL 532

Restoration Ecology

BIOL 585

Marine Ecology

BIOL 582

Biological Oceanography (4)

Biodiversity

BIOL 460

General Entomology (4)

BIOL 475

Herpetology

BIOL 478

Ornithology (4)

BIOL 504

Biology of the Fungi (4)

BIOL 514

Plant Taxonomy (5)

BIOL 570

Biology of Fishes (4)

GEOG 316

Biogeography (4)

Resources

GEOG 317

Geography of Soils (4)

GEOG 427

Agriculture and Food Supply (4)

GEOG 646

Geography of Marine Resources (4)

GEOG 647

Geography of Water Resources (4)

GEOG 666

Geography of Garbage: Recycling and Waste Reduction

RPT 440

Urban Recreation and Leisure Services

RPT 640/ENVS 640

Managing Recreational Use of National Parks and Protected Resources

Applied Methodology/Techniques

BIOL 531

Applied Conservation Biology

GEOG 642/GEOL 642

Watershed Assessment and Restoration (4)

GEOG 658/USP 658

Land Use Planning (4)

GEOG 610

Remote Sensing of the Environment I (4)

GEOG 611

Remote Sensing of the Environment II (4)

GEOG 621/BIOL 533

GIS for Environmental Analysis (4)

GEOG 652/USP 652

Environmental Impact Analysis (4)
(if not taken in the concentration Requirements)

GEOL 475

Hydrogeology (4)

GEOG 602

Field Methods in Geography (4)

Additional Electives: Courses from any of the above categories may be selected, as well as any of the courses below.